Automobile tilting apparatus



May 18, 1926.

F. D. PHILP AUTOMOBILE TILTING APFARATUS Filed Jan. l1. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 1s 1925. 1,585,559

F. D. H|Ll= l AUTOMOBILE TILTING APPARATUS Filed JAA. 11, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 gwn-toi.' @ea/edc@ fluo: www

Patented May 18, 1926.

UNITED starts ,artnr OFFICE.

Application filed January This invention relates to an automobile tilting apparatus that may be advantageously used in garages, automobile repair shops, factories and such other places to permit of easy access being had to the under parts of an automobile or like vehicle, for lubricating, repairing, cleaning or other purposes.

My invention aims to provide a tilting device that may be easily and quickly placed under an automobile and in engagement with the chassis thereof to tilt the automobile side wise so that the underside of the automobile will be exposed and may be readily operated upon. (Jfripping the chassis of an automobile is in contradistinction to that class of tilting devices which grip the wheels or axles, or necessitate placing an automobile on. devices adapted to be raised and tilted.

My invention further aims to provide a truck-like tilting apparatus that may be safe- Y ly used for bodily placing an automobile at an angle to the horizontal, the device including a plurality of jacks automatically engageable with an automobile chassis and adapted to bodily raise the automobile olf the ground or a supporting surface, rlhe jacks are carried by a tiltable frame and other jacksof a novel design are employed for safely manipulating the frame.

In constructing my apparatus I aim to utilize structural shapes and parts of a conventional form so that the greater part of the apparatus may be manufactured at a comparatively small cost. The various parts will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, partly broken away, and showing the tiltable frame in two positions which it may assume in one of which positions the frame is shown by dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical elevation of a portion of the apparatus, partly broken away and partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the apparatus showing one of the hinge connections for the tiltable frame;

Fig, `5 is a detail sectional view of ratchet gearing forming part of one of the tilting jacks;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the same;

11, 1926. Serial No. 80,454.

Fig. 7 is a plan of a vchassis gripping device forming part of an elevating jack;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the gripping device partly in section.

The automobile tilting apparatus includes a truck of greater length than the width of an automobile andk adapted to be shifted endwise under an automobile, between the front and rear wheels thereof, so that the truck will be disposed transversely under the automobile chassis yand protrude some distance fom the underside of the automobile. The truck comprises parallel T- bars having the lateral flanges thereof connected by transverse T-bars connecting members 2, 3 and 4l. Also connected to the lateral flanges of the Tbars l are castors 5, some of which are adjacent the connecting members 2 and 4 with all of the castors cooperating in movablysupporting the truck so that it may be readily shifted about and especially under an automobile,

Suitably attached to the bars l of the truck are bearings 6 for pins or nut equipped bolts i and pivotally mounted on said pins or bolts are bracket hinges 8 which have the upper angular ends thereof pivotally connected by bolts or pins 9 to bearings l() on a tiltable frame, composed of parallel T-bars ll, connected by transverse connecting members l2 and 13. The bracket hinges 8 articulate one end of the tiltable frame to the truck and the opposite end of the tiltable frame is supported relative to the truck by legs la adapted toV straddle the bars l of the truck, as shown at the right hand side of F ig. 3. The hinged end of the tiltable frame is constructively arranged whereby the lower pivots of the bracket hinges 8 will be as low on the truck as possible andv the rear ends of the bracket hinges are adapted to impinge against the bars l and limit the tilting action of the bracket hinges 8, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. In addition to the pins or bolts 9 supporting the tiltable frame relative to the hinge brackets 8, there are angle brackets l5 on the inner sides of the bracket 8 and when the tiltable frame is in a horizontal position the bars l1 rest on said angle brackets thus transferring part of the weight of the frame to the bracket hinges 8 until said bracket hinges are limited in their movement by the truck-bars l, at which time the tiltable frame may continue to tilt with the load of the frame sustainedl by the pins or bolts 9 relative tvo the hinge brackets 8 resting on the truck bars 1. This is somewhat of a double hinge connections for the tiltable frame on the truck and it facilitates or renders comparatively easy the operation of tilting the frame from that end of the frame opposite the hinged end thereof. This will become apparent when considering the mechanism em loyed .forcontrolling the tiltable frame the bars l1 of the tiltable frame are clamped or otherwise imoun'ted, as at lG, housings 1,7 and reciprocableinrsaid housings are screw jacks 1 8. Retained inthe housingl v17 inwscreiv threaded engagement Withthe screw jackslS arebeveled gear nuts L19 operatable by bevel gears 2O supported from the housing Hand rotation of the beveled gears 20cause the jacks to be raised or loiveredjrelative tothe housings 1 7. The jacks maybe 'individually adjusted andI for this purpose I may employ long Wrenches or operatingrods (not sho,\vn). l p *j The jacks 1S are preferably four in ninnbertivo Lon each frame bar 11,4 and yon the upperend each jack a Aehassis engaging angle head 21 supporting ayieldable beveled :keeper 22 which is adapte-dpto cooperate with the head21 in holding auautomobile chassis frame 23. The` chassis frames are shown in Fig. 1 and 2 and represent part. of a standard automobile adapted to be tilted sidewise bythe apparatus. lThe vieldable keepers 23 are on nut equipped bolts 21leXtending through theheads 21 and encircledwby j coiled lexpansion springs 25 Within said heads. In raising the heads 21 into engagement with the chassis frames `the keepers 22 may yield andl then snap into engagement with the chassis frames Vsothat said frames Will be locked on the upper ends ythe jacks. 4To release (the keepers22 cables I26 may be employed,lsaidv cables being trained about sheaves 27 supported by bracketsy28 carried by the heads 21. lVith the Acables26 attached to thevkeepers 22 and extending outwardly from under the A aiutomobile Lthe keepers can be conveniently shifted to release the jacks relative to the automobile chassis frames. y j

Connecting the transverse member 12 of the tiltable frame and the transverse. member a ofthe truck is set of long screw., jacks, each comprising a screw 29 pivotally lconnected .to a `bracket 30 carried bytheptransversepmember 12. The screw 29 extends into a housing 31 pivotally connected to a bracket 3 2 carried by the transverse* member 4.. On the opposite end of the housing 31 is a reversible ratchet mechanism ,by which the screw 29 may be adjusted relative Vto 'its housing. The reversible ratchet mechanism includes abeveled gear nut 337011 the screw 29, large beveled gears 34 meshing with the nut 33, ratchet Wheels 35 fixed relative to the beveled gears 34, pins 36 and yokes 37 operatively supporting the gears 34C and the ratchet Wheels 35 relative to the housing 31, and arms 38 on the pins 36 and provided ivith adjustable p'aWls 39 for engagement Withthe ratchet Wheels 35. The paWls 39 are 'arranged to be adjusted so that the action of tlieratehet mechanism may be reversed, that is", the arms 38 may be oscillatedlto operate the ratchet mechanism to disten'd the ecreiv 29 relative to the li''using 31or the p'aivls `may be set 'that oscilletion. yof 'tlieharins 3S retracts tlie screw 29 relative to the housing 31. ,y p

livotall'y Vconnected te the arnil's 384 are reach rods or bars having the ojuter'en'ds thereof pivotally connected, as at 4:1, to the forked end Ll2 of` an operating ,lever 43- T'his operating lever has its forked fend 4t2 pivotallyy supported byub'raekets t4 from the connecting' member 4 ofthe trrick `and by voscillating the lever 43 the ratchet 'mechanisms. may ybe operated to raise jorlower thetiltable Aframe 11.A The detail construe"- tion of the reversible part ofeach ratchet mechanism forms no part ofvtlii's invention other than cont'ributing to ajscl'reiv( 'jack that maybe advantageously .used for operating tlieutiltablel frame. With an automobile in a fully tilted position or 'my apparatus entirelyfree froman automobile the ratchet mechanisms can be set for a desired operai., -vj `Assuming that the apparatus has been shifted under an automobile and positioned with thejacks l ljbelovfv the 4chassis Vframes 23, the jacks 13 can Vbe operated to place the heads 21Min engagement, with the chassis frames 23 and the iveiglitlof the automobile transferred to the tiltable frame The lever 43 can thenbe oscillated'tooperate the screw jacks so that the Ascrews 29 are distend'ed 'and push the lbracket hinges 8 te ltilted positions on lthe truck. Since loneffend of 'the truck protrudes a considerable distance from the under side ofthe automobile there vis no danger of the vtnuck tilting because of any overhanging loady of the tilted automobile above the truck. j Obviously easyaccess may be had to the under parts lof the automobile .and when it is desired tolovver the,tiltable frame the ratchet mechanisms are adjusted for reverse action, the lever 43 Voscillating to retract the screivs, 2,9, and when ithe automobile is yin aV horizontal position l'or thel frame 11 Icompletely lowered the keepers 22 are released andrfso heldu'ntil the jacks 18 are lowered a sufficientpdistance tolrelease `the chassis: frames. Then the 'apparatus ymay be withdrawn from under the autothere is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the apparatus as now in use, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such changes as are permissible by the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is l. ln an automobile tilting apparatus, a truck adapted to be shifted under the side of an automobile between the tront and rear i wheels thereof, chassis gripping means adjustably supported trom the truck and adapted to be adjusted to raise the automobile and transfer its weight to the truck, and a tiltable trame supporting said chassis gripping means relative to said truck and adapted to be tilted to place the automobile at an angle to the horizontal.

2. An automobile tilting apparatus as called for in claim l, wherein said chassis gripping means includes angle heads and y ieldable keepers.

An automobile tilting apparatus as called for in claim l, further characterized by individual jacks attached to said tiltable 'traine 'tor supporting said chassis gripping means.

4L. An automobile tilting apparatus as called for in claim l, further characterized by said tiltable frame having one side thereot hingedly connected to said truck by long bracket hinges normally disposed at right angles to said truck and frame.

An automobile tilting apparatus as called Afor inlclaim l, further characterized by said tiltable 'frame having one side thereof hingedly connected to said truck by long brac ret hinges and the opposite side connected to said truck by a set of jacks adapted to be operated in synchronism to tilt said frame.

6. An automobile tilting apparatus comprising a truck adapted to be shifted under one side et' the automobile between the front and rear wheels thereof to protrude from the opposite side of the automobile, a tiltable traine hingedly connected to that end ot' said truck which protrudes from under the automobile means operatable at the sides ol said trame adapted for attaching said trame to the chassis of the automobile, and means operatable at the opposite end ot said trucl; adapted for tilting said frame to sidewise place said automobile at an angle to the horizontal.

7. An automobile apparatus as called for in claim 6, wherein the lirst mentioned means includes jacks on said traine automatically attachable to the automobile chassis.

8. An automobile tilting apparatus as called for in claim 6, wherein the lirst mentioned means includes jacks on said frame automatically attachable to the automobile chassis and manually releasable at an outer side of the automobile.

9. An automobile tilting apparatus cornprising a truck, a tiltable frame above said truck, hinges connecting one end of said frame to said truck, said frame and hinges being movable in synchronism for an initial tilting action and said trame being movable relative to said hinges for a further tilting action, and means carried by said truck and connected tosaid frame and adapted for tilting said trame.

l0. An automobile tilting apparatus as called :tor in claim 9, wherein said means includes a set of screw jacks and ratchet mechanism for operating said jacks in synchronism.

11. An automobile tilting apparatus, as called for in claim 9, further characterized by jacks on said frame adapted to engage and hold the chassis of an automobile.

l2. An automobile tilting apparatus comprising a truck adapted to be shifted under one side ot' an automobile between the front' and rear wheels thereof to protrude from the opposite side of the automobile, a tiltable frame above said truck, hinges connecting said frame to that end of said truck which protrudes from under the automobile, said traine and hinges being movable in synehronism for an initial tilting movement oi' said frame and said frame being movable relative to said hinges for a further tilting movement of said frame, and means operatable at the opposite end of said truck adapted for tilting said frame to sidewise place said automobile at an angle to the horizontal.

13. An automobile tilting apparatus as called for in claim l2, and jacks on said trame adapted for engagement with the automobile chassis for anchoring the automobile relative to said frame.

14;. ln an automobile tilting apparatus wherein an automobile is adapted to be bodily tilted, a trame adapted for attachment to the automobile, pivotally mounted hinges supporting said trame-for atilting action, said iframe and hinges being movable in synchronism for an initial tilting action and said frame being movable relative to said hinges for a further tilting action, and means connected to said frame and adapted for tilting said frame.

ln testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

FREDERICK D. PHILP. 

